Hello everyone,
Sorry for yet more questions about Bath primaries and I have posted before about various school topics but hope no-one minds if I post again – I have trawled through all the responses to some of mine and others’ questions but the posts are from a while back so it would be great to get some up to date opinions! Apologies in advance for the lengthy post too.
We are due to move from Madrid to Bath between now and Christmas, so I am trying to put the final details into place and finding it really hard from so far away.
What I would really love are some pointers on areas to live and also schools (state). My DS was 5 in July and so I think would be due to go into year 1 as a rising 6?
Basically, from the research I've done so far, schools we are thinking about are Widcombe, Newbridge, Weston All Saints, St Saviours and St Stephens and so their corresponding areas to live - so Weston, Newbridge, Widcombe and Larkhall, I think?
I am swaying more towards Widombe, Newbridge and WASPS so far from what I’ve read – we are totally non-religious and DS is bright but a real entertainer rather than an academic at this stage – gets bored very easily doing school work but is a natural mimic/dancer/clown....so would really like somewhere creative that will stimulate him as an individual rather than stick him in an impersonal “system” (he has been at the French Lycée since he was 3 which is really rigid academically). Also partner is French so DS trilingual and thus a little behind the monolinguals of his age-group – so somewhere a little multi-cultural might be a good thing, though not crucial.
Are there any other schools people would recommend over these? We are not religious at all and so couldn't go to the local church to nab a place, ruling out St. Mary’s Bathwick!
He will probably be starting mid-term too – does anyone know how over-subscribed these schools are and if it is easier to get a place in year 1 or mid-term perhaps?
Also, I suppose I need to contact the local council to apply? I have lived in Madrid for 12 years and know nothing about the UK school system.
And deep breath....lastly....I know that one needs to be in the catchment area if living in an owned property, but can one rent anywhere in relation to the school, or is it the same rules? I want to wait until I know which schools I like best and which have a place for him before looking for rented property close by but not sure how it would work, since we live abroad at the moment and so have no local address!
Thanks SO much for your help, am feeling the fear and doing it anyway right now and every little will help hugely.